1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a pet toy which may include a body structure that has pocketed areas, possibly a non-pocketed area and an attached tether, providing openings to hide and retrieve an object that is attached to a tether.
2. Prior Art
Currently most indoor dogs are not getting enough exercise. This can be seen by the growing concerns of pet obesity. Many pet owners lead busy lives and are tired when they get home and as a result, many dogs do not go on walks or the walks are too short. When dogs don't go on walks or the walks are too short, dogs can be considered high energy or become over weight. Many high energy dogs are re-homed for having too much energy and overweight dogs become unhealthy. Many toys such as a ball or stuffed animal are used to exercise and entertain indoor dogs. The problems with such toys are they often end up under furniture which the pet owner must retrieve or dogs shake the toys until the toy slips out of the dog's mouth and goes flying through the air risking knocking items over such as a drink causing spills or damage to the knocked over item. Pet owners need an indoor exercise solution that's a fun game that keeps dogs engaged that is safe and nondestructive for the modern home. Dogs in the wild use digging as a natural form of exercise. Digging is a natural instinct that carries over to domestic dogs. One under developed need in the pet industry is digging toys that allow indoor dogs an opportunity to satisfy their natural urge to dig while gaining the benefit of physical exercise, mental stimulation and entertainment.
It has been identified that many pets, more specifically indoor dogs, are not getting the exercise and mental stimulation they need. To address this growing problem several prior art devices have been developed. This can be seen in the recent developments of pet games. An example of a prior art related to pet games is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 8,316,804 issued Nov. 27, 2012 to Nina Ottosson. Examples of prior art related to hiding and retrieving of objects is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,086 published Oct. 5, 2010 to Nina Ottosson; and U.S. Pat. No. US20010047770 published Dec 6, 2001 to Regina M. Pontes. Such games while providing mental stimuli also encourage the use of snacks to be hidden in the games which further contributes to pet obesity. The size of the toy also presents the disadvantage that only minimal physical movement is required for the pet to retrieve the hidden object usually being a food item. Another disadvantage is when dogs do not properly play the game instead of uncovering the treats dogs have been known to pick up the board game and flip it over or shake the treats out of the cloth games to gain access to all the treats at once.
Example of prior art applicable to inserting and removing of objects for a pet are presented in U.S. Pat. No. 8,316,804 published Nov. 27, 2012 to Nina Ottosson; U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,086 published Oct. 5, 2010 to Nina Ottosson; U.S. Pat. No. 20010047770 published Dec. 6, 2001 to Regina M. Pontes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,799 published May 10, 1988 to Marjorie G. Schlitz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,799 published May 10, 1988 to Marjorie G. Schlitz; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,830 published Oct. 29, 2002 to Charles D. Mann;